SEASONAL BEERS

Temperatures change, doesn't mean the vibes have to.

"Power Up is 5.5% ABV, 9 IBU, Rice IPA that’s direct and slightly malty with balanced bitterness in the company of stone-fruit and tropical fruit flavors. Brown rice flakes lighten body and flavors culminating in a clean, crisp flavor. Huell Melon & Mardarina Bavaria contribute distinct notes of summer melon with citrus flavor and aromatics.

Video Game Amateurs is a collective of POC creatives, tech enthusiasts, and passionate gamers that have built an inclusive community around tournaments & events, live streaming, and gaming content. The word Amateur is derived from the meaning “to love”, and we love creating experiences where video games can bring people together. Using gaming as a foundation, they aim to bridge the gap between casual gamers and industry leaders. VGA’s main focus has always been representation and fostering an inclusive community. As POCs, they represent the casual gamer, the budding streamer, and the pop-culture enthusiast. VGA strives to create experiences that they would enjoy and focus on inclusion in all of their efforts, whether joining them on our daily streams or hanging out with them at our events.

“VGA is a special collective for a number of reasons! We're super diverse and have a number of different resources and benefits to bring to individuals all of the city! It brings us much joy to see the joy we bring to children and adults alike across all walks of life. It's no secret that gaming has blossomed into even greater popularity post-pandemic; the same could be said for us, we look forward to continued growth and more opportunities."

                                                                                                     

The team of over 10 members all submitted potential names for the can. After the successful launch of their first beer partnership, “Select, Start”, they wanted a name that continued the “story” that VGA wanted to tell. In their first beer, you’re “starting the game” so in the second beer they wanted to follow another common theme in a video game, which is “powering up”. Once VGA decided on “Power Up” as the name they worked with Queens-based creative designer and DJ David “Veecio” Rodriguez, who fostered the creative process and has curated set lists at VGA’s past activations. VGA wanted to maintain a retro feel and incorporate the brand colors into the can. David could take these concepts and create a can that looked like an old-school “power-up” but did not look like an energy drink.

When asked "What do you hope to achieve with your art/platform?" VGA says:

When asked "If there's anything else you'd like to let people know?" VGA says:

“Being the first NYC-based gaming company to have a beer partnership is an honor and we’re truly thankful to Bronx Brewery for this opportunity. Bronx Brewery is committed to working with the community and its Y-Series initiative is a testament to that. We hope this is just the first of many collaborations!“

Tell us about your community collaborator:

The Community collaborator for Power Up’s release is Brotherhood/Sistersol. Brotherhood/Sistersol is a nonprofit organization based in Harlem that works with Black and Latinx youth to claim the power of their history, identity, and community to build the future they want to see. One of VGA’s Co-Founders; Luiggy Gomez, is an alumnus of the organization and their initiatives continue to inspire many POC like themselves. VGA understands the need for more youth empowerment and educational programs, they also do E-Sports boot camps at schools for this very reason and wanted to give back to an organization that is driven by that mission.

Proceeds received from the release of this beer will sponsor various creative endeavors at Brotherhood/Sistersol.